Formal and Informal Assessment of Student Learning
Name:Erin O'Toole
I. Assignment Description/Requirements
See Project Page for assignment details.
II. Preparation / Development
1. Reflect on your current assessment practices. How have you been determining what students understand and what they are able to do?
I am currently using many methods of assessment in my classes. I often use questioning in class as an informal assessment to determine what the students are grasping about the concepts while they are being taught. I also use the questions that students are asking me a a way to gauge their pace of learning. In addition to questioning, I have been have been using lab activities and some web quests to informally assess what my students are understanding. During the recent mineral lab activity I was able to walk around to each small group and have the students explain what they were working on. This allowed me to see more clearly what individual students were understanding. I also was able to do the same for the interactive rock cycle and Earth Science web quest, in which students were navigating through website interactive in order to inquire about information about the rock cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes.Two other forms of informal assessment I have been using to assess my students has been the use of science starters and homework with core concept questions.
I have given a formal assessment as well. I gave a test on the whole unit which dealt with the interior of the Earth. The test composed of multiple types of questions, which included true and false, short essay, fill in the blank, completing a diagram and multiple choice. The test questions were based on the important concepts which came from lessons on the Earths interior structure, minerals, rocks and the rock cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes.
2. Describe the concept(s) that you are trying to assess in these assignments. Include a link to the appropriate GSE(s) on RIScienceTeachers. Be sure to include in your description your definition, examples of what it is, why students have difficulty with this concept, and why it is important that you teach this topic
In the informal assessment, the earth science web quest, I am trying to assess each student's ability to use inquiry to assess various maps to draw conclusions about plate tectonics and the correlation between the movement of plates and the location of earthquakes and volcanoes. In addition, I am assessing each student's knowledge that was gained from the website. I will assess the students on amounts of information that relates to plate boundaries and real life examples of land formations which exist at such boundaries. Also the students will be exploring a interactive which concerns volcanoes. The website guides the viewer through general information about volcanoes and uses visualls to reinforce understanding. One of the main concepts I want the students to explore is the idea of viscocity. At the end of the webquest the student will be changing gas and silica content and comparing these characteristics with the type of eruptions that they cause. I want the students to discover that the more viscous the lava the more explosive and damaging the eruption.
In the formal assessment, the end of chapter test, I will assess the students on six main topics which include the Earth's interior structure, minerals and how they relate to the rock cycle, the rock cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes. I will use various types of questions to assess the students. I will use multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answers and a digram which the students need to interpret and complete.
ESS1 (9-11)– 1 Students demonstrate an understanding of processes and change over time within earth systems by … 1a)plotting the location of mountain ranges and recent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to identify any existing patterns
ESS1 (9-11)–2 Students demonstrate an understanding of processes and change over time within earth systems by … 2a) using given data (diagrams, charts, narratives, etc.) and advances in technology to explain how scientific knowledge regarding plate tectonics has changed over time
ESS1 (9-11)–3 Students demonstrate an understanding of processes and change over time within earth systems by … 3a) explaining how heat produced by (friction, radioactive decay and pressure) affects the Rock Cycle 3b) explaining how convection circulations of the mantle initiate the movement of the crustal plates which then cause plate movement and seismic activity 3d) explaining how the physical and chemical processes of the Earth alter the crust (e.g. seafloor spreading, hydrologic cycle, weathering, element cycling)
3. (and 7) Describe an informal assessment that you selected, modified, or designed to address this concept. Summarize the instructions you gave your students and Include a link to the informal assessment here as well.
The informal assessment that I selected was an activity called "Earth Science Web quest" . I explained to the students that they would be navigating through two different web quests to gain some information about plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes. I explained that they would exploring the web quests to determine the answers to the questions on the worksheet that I had handed out to them. I directed the students to go to the class webpage and find the links under "Earth Science Web quests". I read the directions on the worksheet and told the students that they could work with partners to work on the assignment. Before I let the students partner up I told them if they had questions that they could raise their hands and I would be around to answer their questions.
4. (and 8) Create a formal assessment. Describe this assessment, including concepts, types of items, and how it was assessed. Include a link to a copy of the assessment here as well.
The formal assessment is a comprehensive unit test. The test composed of multiple types of questions, which included true and false, short essay, fill in the blank, completing a diagram and multiple choice. The test questions were based on the important concepts which came from lessons on the Earth's interior structure, minerals, rocks and the rock cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes.
6. Develop the evaluation criteria (or key) for your informal assessment or link it here. This description should include the assessment's features, how it addresses different depths of knowledge, as well as an explanation of how it addresses a scientific practice related to inquiry.
The informal assessment addresses inquiry because it has the students analyzing visuals for the correct information about the relationships between plate boundaries, volcanoes and earthquakes. It also has the students evaluating the lack of a relationship between hot spots and plates boundaries.
7. & 8. - Already addressed above.
9. For your informal assesssment, upload scans of the work of three or four students. The work of each student should be on a different page. At the bottom of each students' page, you should describe the level of student understanding, e.g. high, average, or low, and describe how this is indicated in their answers. An example of how to do this is here. Note: Remember to name the pages you create carefully, e.g. "Smith S10 - High Performing" instead of "High-Performing."
10. For you formal assessment, describe how you think it addressed the concepts you were trying to assess? How did you modify the assessment to address learning differences or special needs?
I think the formal assessment addressed concepts I was trying to assess because it had questions that specifically addressed my learning objectives. I think the main way that I modified the test was to make sure it appealed to different learners. There was multiple choice questions, fill in the blank a rock cycle question in which they completed the diagram and a few short answer questions. Students, depending on their learning style, are more apt to do well on different parts of the test I gave. I did not want to make one test which asked question in a single way because I think that it is unfair to the multiple types of learners in a single classroom.
III. Analysis / Reflection
11. Use both the informal and formal assessments to describe what you learned about what your students understand about these concepts. Use specific examples from both the informal and formal assessment to illustrate your points. What can your students do now that they could not before, and what do they still need to learn?
From the formal assessment I learned that my students really understood the layers of the Earth as well as the information and concepts of the rock cycle. I found that the students had a really hard time understanding the difference between plate boundaries and the difference between a theory of plate tectonics and the process of convection currents which fuels plate movement. I think the students have a difficult time thinking critically about the subject of the movement of plates.
In addition I found that students again had a difficult time understanding the relationship between plate boundaries and earthquakes and volcanoes. Some students said there was a relationship between plate boundaries, earthquakes, volcanoes, and hot spots. They had a difficult time looking at a map applying the correct data from the map and interpreting a conclusion form the data on the map.
My students can now use the processes of the rock cycle and determine the rocks that are forming in the cycle. They can identify and describe the different layers of the Earth's interior. They can describe the difference between a rock and a mineral. My students now know that volcanoes and earthquakes have share a relationship with the location of plate boundaries. The students also know what causes earthquakes and volcanoes.
I think what the students really need to understand how to do is think critically. I have found through these assessments and others that the students as a whole do not think critically. I think they are often looking for the answer but do not know how to use the data to gain the information. I seems for the most part that if the information is not explicitly given to them than they will not interpret the information in a correct manner.
12. OMIT
13. For your formal assessment only, select one student characteristic, e.g. ability, gender, age, etc) and compare the relative performance of each group. Hint: Use box and whiskers plots to compare the two groups. What do you conclude from this comparison? Why?
The single student characteristic that I selected was gender. Within one of my classes, there is not an equal amount of girls and boys. In this class there are 11 boys and 8 girls. The points were total out of 39. The lower quartile for the girls was 20 and for the boys was 23 out of 39. Which in terms of percentage means the lowr quartile for the girls was 59% and for the boys was 59%. The median for the girls was 26 and for the boys was 27. Which in terms of percentage is 66% for the girls and 69% for the boys. The Upper quartile for the girls was 29.25 and for the boys was 31.5, which in terms of percentage is 75% and 81% respectively. According to the Box and whiskers plot that I completed the distribution is not symmetrical
Earth's Interior Test scores: Girls vs. Boys
Girls
Boys
12,17,23,25,27,27.5,29,29.5,39
19.5,20,23,24.5,25.5,27,27.5,30.5,31.5,33,38
14. Describe any ways in which you involved students in self-assessment. How did you communicate what you learned from your informal and formal assessments to your students? What did they do with this information?
I involved students in self assessment by having the students come to see me one by one. We could look at their score on their formal assessment together and analyze why their grade was what they earned. I was able to use questioning to guide the students toward understanding the what the correct answer should have been. I went over what the averages of the grade were for the class and explained that from the grade of some students you could see that they studied. I also made a connection between those students whom have not been completing homework and those who received a lower grade. I asked the students if they thought they could have done better if they reinforced their knowledge with the assigned homework.
I have noticed a recent increase in th amount of homework being passed in on time. I think some students took that conversation to heart and are trying to improve their grade by using the strategy that I suggested.
15: Most Important: Compare your objectives for student learning (both in terms of science concepts and practices) to the student learning you observed. What did you learn about your teaching based on the student performances? What will you do differently next time? Why would you make these changes? What, if anything, will you do to improve the assessment instruments
I learned that there are instances when you think learning is happening but the students might not be paying attention to the activity. I found this out with student whom rushed through the informal assignment. I think If I had made more connections to the Earth science web quest that the material that the students learned there would be more understandable. Also instead of writing down the answers on the sheet next time while I am correcting. I may discuss every single question with the students and have them peer edit with their neighboring classmate.
I learned that even though students are saying they understand the information,that might not actually be the case. While teaching in the furture I hope to become more intune to noticing those small details that enable me to identify that the students are not understanding. I think as you teach more and you learn to use questioning constantly to assess it becomes easier to identify when student are not understanding vs. them being bored or tired.
I think I have been constantly reinforcing science literacy in the classroom but I think I can do better. I see students whom don't understand because they might not be reading the information in the right manner. If the student cannot read the information well then they are not going to fully understand the material and instead are going to be missing vital information. i hope to be an advocate for student literacy because I think it is an important component in learning in general and definitely in independent learning.
One of the biggest lessons I learned is that teachers make mistakes but it is what a teacher does with those mistakes that makes them a better or worse teacher. Every step of student teaching , in my opinion, has been learning from mistakes. I hope in the future that I continue to grow and want to communicate to my student the content well.
Based on the student performance from the informal and formal assessment is that as a teacher you need to use multiple techniques to teach a single concept. By teaching in a manner which accommodates multiple learners to ensure that the students experience increased engagement and understanding form my lessons
Formal and Informal Assessment of Student Learning
Name:Erin O'Toole
I. Assignment Description/Requirements
II. Preparation / Development
1. Reflect on your current assessment practices. How have you been determining what students understand and what they are able to do?
I am currently using many methods of assessment in my classes. I often use questioning in class as an informal assessment to determine what the students are grasping about the concepts while they are being taught. I also use the questions that students are asking me a a way to gauge their pace of learning. In addition to questioning, I have been have been using lab activities and some web quests to informally assess what my students are understanding. During the recent mineral lab activity I was able to walk around to each small group and have the students explain what they were working on. This allowed me to see more clearly what individual students were understanding. I also was able to do the same for the interactive rock cycle and Earth Science web quest, in which students were navigating through website interactive in order to inquire about information about the rock cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes.Two other forms of informal assessment I have been using to assess my students has been the use of science starters and homework with core concept questions.
I have given a formal assessment as well. I gave a test on the whole unit which dealt with the interior of the Earth. The test composed of multiple types of questions, which included true and false, short essay, fill in the blank, completing a diagram and multiple choice. The test questions were based on the important concepts which came from lessons on the Earths interior structure, minerals, rocks and the rock cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes.
2. Describe the concept(s) that you are trying to assess in these assignments. Include a link to the appropriate GSE(s) on RIScienceTeachers. Be sure to include in your description your definition, examples of what it is, why students have difficulty with this concept, and why it is important that you teach this topic
In the informal assessment, the earth science web quest, I am trying to assess each student's ability to use inquiry to assess various maps to draw conclusions about plate tectonics and the correlation between the movement of plates and the location of earthquakes and volcanoes. In addition, I am assessing each student's knowledge that was gained from the website. I will assess the students on amounts of information that relates to plate boundaries and real life examples of land formations which exist at such boundaries. Also the students will be exploring a interactive which concerns volcanoes. The website guides the viewer through general information about volcanoes and uses visualls to reinforce understanding. One of the main concepts I want the students to explore is the idea of viscocity. At the end of the webquest the student will be changing gas and silica content and comparing these characteristics with the type of eruptions that they cause. I want the students to discover that the more viscous the lava the more explosive and damaging the eruption.
In the formal assessment, the end of chapter test, I will assess the students on six main topics which include the Earth's interior structure, minerals and how they relate to the rock cycle, the rock cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes. I will use various types of questions to assess the students. I will use multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answers and a digram which the students need to interpret and complete.
ESS1 (9-11)– 1
Students demonstrate an understanding of processes and change over time within earth systems by …
1a)plotting the location of mountain ranges and recent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to identify any existing patterns
ESS1 (9-11)–2
Students demonstrate an understanding of processes and change over time within earth systems by …
2a) using given data (diagrams, charts, narratives, etc.) and advances in technology to explain how scientific knowledge regarding plate tectonics has changed over time
ESS1 (9-11)–3
Students demonstrate an understanding of processes and change over time within earth systems by …
3a) explaining how heat produced by (friction, radioactive decay and pressure) affects the Rock Cycle
3b) explaining how convection circulations of the mantle initiate the movement of the crustal plates which then cause plate movement and seismic activity
3d) explaining how the physical and chemical processes of the Earth alter the crust (e.g. seafloor spreading, hydrologic cycle, weathering, element cycling)
3. (and 7) Describe an informal assessment that you selected, modified, or designed to address this concept. Summarize the instructions you gave your students and Include a link to the informal assessment here as well.
The informal assessment that I selected was an activity called "Earth Science Web quest" . I explained to the students that they would be navigating through two different web quests to gain some information about plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes. I explained that they would exploring the web quests to determine the answers to the questions on the worksheet that I had handed out to them. I directed the students to go to the class webpage and find the links under "Earth Science Web quests". I read the directions on the worksheet and told the students that they could work with partners to work on the assignment. Before I let the students partner up I told them if they had questions that they could raise their hands and I would be around to answer their questions.
Earth Science Web Quest
4. (and 8) Create a formal assessment. Describe this assessment, including concepts, types of items, and how it was assessed. Include a link to a copy of the assessment here as well.
The formal assessment is a comprehensive unit test. The test composed of multiple types of questions, which included true and false, short essay, fill in the blank, completing a diagram and multiple choice. The test questions were based on the important concepts which came from lessons on the Earth's interior structure, minerals, rocks and the rock cycle, plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes.
5. Develop the evaluation criteria (or key) for your formal assessment or link it here.
6. Develop the evaluation criteria (or key) for your informal assessment or link it here. This description should include the assessment's features, how it addresses different depths of knowledge, as well as an explanation of how it addresses a scientific practice related to inquiry.
The informal assessment addresses inquiry because it has the students analyzing visuals for the correct information about the relationships between plate boundaries, volcanoes and earthquakes. It also has the students evaluating the lack of a relationship between hot spots and plates boundaries.
7. & 8. - Already addressed above.
9. For your informal assesssment, upload scans of the work of three or four students. The work of each student should be on a different page. At the bottom of each students' page, you should describe the level of student understanding, e.g. high, average, or low, and describe how this is indicated in their answers. An example of how to do this is here. Note: Remember to name the pages you create carefully, e.g. "Smith S10 - High Performing" instead of "High-Performing."
O'Toole S11 - informal high-performing
O'Toole S11 - informal middle-performing
O'Toole S11 - informal low-performing
10. For you formal assessment, describe how you think it addressed the concepts you were trying to assess? How did you modify the assessment to address learning differences or special needs?
I think the formal assessment addressed concepts I was trying to assess because it had questions that specifically addressed my learning objectives. I think the main way that I modified the test was to make sure it appealed to different learners. There was multiple choice questions, fill in the blank a rock cycle question in which they completed the diagram and a few short answer questions. Students, depending on their learning style, are more apt to do well on different parts of the test I gave. I did not want to make one test which asked question in a single way because I think that it is unfair to the multiple types of learners in a single classroom.
III. Analysis / Reflection
11. Use both the informal and formal assessments to describe what you learned about what your students understand about these concepts. Use specific examples from both the informal and formal assessment to illustrate your points. What can your students do now that they could not before, and what do they still need to learn?
From the formal assessment I learned that my students really understood the layers of the Earth as well as the information and concepts of the rock cycle. I found that the students had a really hard time understanding the difference between plate boundaries and the difference between a theory of plate tectonics and the process of convection currents which fuels plate movement. I think the students have a difficult time thinking critically about the subject of the movement of plates.
In addition I found that students again had a difficult time understanding the relationship between plate boundaries and earthquakes and volcanoes. Some students said there was a relationship between plate boundaries, earthquakes, volcanoes, and hot spots. They had a difficult time looking at a map applying the correct data from the map and interpreting a conclusion form the data on the map.
My students can now use the processes of the rock cycle and determine the rocks that are forming in the cycle. They can identify and describe the different layers of the Earth's interior. They can describe the difference between a rock and a mineral. My students now know that volcanoes and earthquakes have share a relationship with the location of plate boundaries. The students also know what causes earthquakes and volcanoes.
I think what the students really need to understand how to do is think critically. I have found through these assessments and others that the students as a whole do not think critically. I think they are often looking for the answer but do not know how to use the data to gain the information. I seems for the most part that if the information is not explicitly given to them than they will not interpret the information in a correct manner.
12. OMIT
13. For your formal assessment only, select one student characteristic, e.g. ability, gender, age, etc) and compare the relative performance of each group. Hint: Use box and whiskers plots to compare the two groups. What do you conclude from this comparison? Why?
The single student characteristic that I selected was gender. Within one of my classes, there is not an equal amount of girls and boys. In this class there are 11 boys and 8 girls. The points were total out of 39. The lower quartile for the girls was 20 and for the boys was 23 out of 39. Which in terms of percentage means the lowr quartile for the girls was 59% and for the boys was 59%. The median for the girls was 26 and for the boys was 27. Which in terms of percentage is 66% for the girls and 69% for the boys. The Upper quartile for the girls was 29.25 and for the boys was 31.5, which in terms of percentage is 75% and 81% respectively. According to the Box and whiskers plot that I completed the distribution is not symmetrical
14. Describe any ways in which you involved students in self-assessment. How did you communicate what you learned from your informal and formal assessments to your students? What did they do with this information?
I involved students in self assessment by having the students come to see me one by one. We could look at their score on their formal assessment together and analyze why their grade was what they earned. I was able to use questioning to guide the students toward understanding the what the correct answer should have been. I went over what the averages of the grade were for the class and explained that from the grade of some students you could see that they studied. I also made a connection between those students whom have not been completing homework and those who received a lower grade. I asked the students if they thought they could have done better if they reinforced their knowledge with the assigned homework.
I have noticed a recent increase in th amount of homework being passed in on time. I think some students took that conversation to heart and are trying to improve their grade by using the strategy that I suggested.
15: Most Important: Compare your objectives for student learning (both in terms of science concepts and practices) to the student learning you observed. What did you learn about your teaching based on the student performances? What will you do differently next time? Why would you make these changes? What, if anything, will you do to improve the assessment instruments
I learned that there are instances when you think learning is happening but the students might not be paying attention to the activity. I found this out with student whom rushed through the informal assignment. I think If I had made more connections to the Earth science web quest that the material that the students learned there would be more understandable. Also instead of writing down the answers on the sheet next time while I am correcting. I may discuss every single question with the students and have them peer edit with their neighboring classmate.
I learned that even though students are saying they understand the information,that might not actually be the case. While teaching in the furture I hope to become more intune to noticing those small details that enable me to identify that the students are not understanding. I think as you teach more and you learn to use questioning constantly to assess it becomes easier to identify when student are not understanding vs. them being bored or tired.
I think I have been constantly reinforcing science literacy in the classroom but I think I can do better. I see students whom don't understand because they might not be reading the information in the right manner. If the student cannot read the information well then they are not going to fully understand the material and instead are going to be missing vital information. i hope to be an advocate for student literacy because I think it is an important component in learning in general and definitely in independent learning.
One of the biggest lessons I learned is that teachers make mistakes but it is what a teacher does with those mistakes that makes them a better or worse teacher. Every step of student teaching , in my opinion, has been learning from mistakes. I hope in the future that I continue to grow and want to communicate to my student the content well.
Based on the student performance from the informal and formal assessment is that as a teacher you need to use multiple techniques to teach a single concept. By teaching in a manner which accommodates multiple learners to ensure that the students experience increased engagement and understanding form my lessons